Embodiments of the present invention relate to a waterproofing structure for a vehicle door. Specifically, they relate to a waterproofing structure for a vehicle door which has a cover member closing a service hole formed in an inner panel, and a clip for detachably mounting the cover member to the inner panel.
A vehicle door has an inner panel and an outer panel. Various apparatuses or mechanisms are incorporated into the space between the inner panel and the outer panel together with wiring, etc. The apparatuses, etc. are incorporated by utilizing a service hole formed in the inner panel. After the completion of the incorporating operation, the service hole is closed by a cover member.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-359131 discloses an example of a waterproofing structure for a vehicle door. In this technique, a resin plate for closing the service hole is formed on the inner panel through insert molding. The resin plate exhibits a waterproofing property to prevent rainwater or the like that enters the door interior between the inner panel and the outer panel from entering the vehicle interior through the service hole. Further, the resin plate has a sound insulation property preventing the transmission of sound through the service hole, a dustproofing property preventing the intrusion of dust through the service hole, etc.
In order that the door interior may be repaired, it is desirable for the cover member for closing the service hole of the inner panel to be detachable with respect to the inner panel. However, the resin plate of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-359131 is not detachable with respect to the inner panel. When the cover member is made detachable with respect to the inner panel, the cover member must be provided with a gasket in order to secure the waterproofing property, sound insulation property, and dustproofing property of the service hole. This involves an increase in costs.
In a configuration in which the cover member is detachably mounted to the inner panel by using a clip, a tool hole is usually formed in the cover member. A tool used when detaching the clip from the inner panel is inserted into the tool hole towards the clip. Thus, as with the service hole of the inner panel, the tool hole has to be given a waterproofing property, sound insulation property, dustproofing property, etc.
There is a need for a waterproof structure which has a cover member detachable with respect to the inner panel by a clip and in which a waterproofing property, sound insulation property, and dustproofing property are secured for a tool hole formed in the cover member without a sealing gasket.